Mind Matters: Thriving in Work and Life
Cherilynn Castleman
Empowering 1 Million Women by 2030 | AI & Sales Thought Leader | Elevating Sales Through Diversity | Exec Sales Coach/Trainer | Keynote Speaker | Author | Accelerating Sales with AI to Shorten Cycles & Boost Deal Sizes
Workplace and Practical Steps for Thriving — Because Your Well-being Fuels Your Success.
October is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this year the World Health Organization (WHO) chose the theme of “Mental Health at Work” to highlight the significant connection between mental health and work. At their best, supportive and healthy workplace environments can be a protective factor for our mental health. Unfortunately, too many people face unhealthy conditions at work including stigma, discrimination, and harassment which can pose significant risks to their well being.?
As a Black woman who has managed her depression for decades while building a career in sales, this hits close to home.
This issue is especially important for women of color. According to John Hopkins Medicine, women are at least twice as likely to experience an episode of major depression compared to men, but Black women are only half as likely to seek support as white women.
As a Black woman who has managed her depression for decades while building a career in sales, this hits close to home. Not only have I had to navigate this challenge, my sister did as well.
My baby sister, Toiya, was a brilliant, confident, and successful lawyer. As an undergrad, she studied abroad at the University of Nairobi in Kenya, and made law review while earning her J.D. at Howard University. She was an associate at a corporate law firm, a loving wife, and dedicated auntie to her six nieces. She died by suicide at 34.?
While there are so many complex factors that contributed to my sister’s death, chief among them is the cultural stigma attached to taking care of your mental health, especially in communities of color. I share my sister’s story because I want other Black women – other driven, passionate, funny, successful, professional Black women – to know they have a responsibility to take care of themselves at least as well as they take care of everyone around them.?
Unfortunately, even when someone decides to invest in their mental health, it can be challenging to find the right information and resources to take that first step. As leaders, supporting our teams in doing their best work means supporting them as whole people. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Here are a few insights and actionable steps companies can take to support their teams in caring for their mental health:
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1?? Mental Health Awareness: Many employees may not recognize the importance of mental health or may feel stigmatized when discussing it. Raising awareness can help create a supportive culture.
2?? Work-Life Balance: Overworking leads to burnout. Encouraging a healthy work-life balance is essential for mental well-being.
3?? Tailored Support: Different employees have different needs. One-size-fits-all solutions may not be effective.
What are you doing to support mental health in your workplace?
Comment below: how are you showing your teams that #MentalHealthMatters?
#OctoberAwareness #MentalHealthAwareness #Sales
#WomenInSales #1MillionWomenBy2030
Thanks for sharing Cherilynn Castleman,- nd for your kind, and caring work to support the community ???? all the best! and please know we’re supporting you! ??
Selling is a Skill. Wealth is a Strategy. Leadership is a Responsibility | Mentor | Sales Leader@sharefile | Founder @ExecSocks | Real Estate Investor | Sales + Investing = Real Freedom
5 个月Thank you for shedding light on this topic. Appreciate you for what you do to help many people.
Overcome sales objections, ghosting and prospecting challenges. Personalised 1:1 Sales & LinkedIn coaching. Interactive Group Training. Influencer marketing deals with Salesforce, BRITA and Hubspot
5 个月10 years ago we couldn;' talk about this Cherilynn Castleman now we can, so that is progress and it's vital this progress continues. Sorry to read about the loss of Toiya, I can't imagine how tough that must have been. In Indian communities, mental health and depression is something you're expected to sweep under a carpet and not talk about which is unhealthy and not right on any level.
Founder & CEO at The Virtual Hub (Support assistants to scale your business ??) | Speaker | Podcast Host ??| Operational Efficiency Enthusiast ??| Passionately helping businesses remove bottlenecks & scale ??
5 个月Cherilynn Castleman Thank you for sharing such a deeply personal and important story. It’s so heartbreaking how mental health struggles can impact even the brightest and strongest among us... Creating mentally healthy environments is about creting a culture where people feel safe to talk about what they’re going through, without fear of judgment. Open conversations can make such a difference!!! But I also think leadership setting the example is key. When leaders normalise discussing mental health, it signals to everyone else that it’s okay to ask for help.
Founder of Shalana Essentials-Plant Based Skincare
5 个月Thank you for sharing your story Cherilynn. As a mental health nurse, I know only too well the shame and stigma related to having mental health issues. I love your actionable steps and hope employers continue to make their employees' mental health a priority.